1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sliding door structure, more specifically to a sliding door structure wherein deformation of the sliding door is suppressed when a load is applied onto the sliding door from the outside of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, as a sliding door structure wherein a door is slid in a vehicle fore-and-aft direction by a pair of arms, there is the following. (For example, refer to Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (JP-U) No.63-093214 (FIG. 3).)
For example, in the example disclosed in JP-U No.63-093214, one end of the pair of arms is arranged rotatably by a supporting mechanism provided at the under side of a seat, and the other end of the pair of arms is arranged rotatably to a door. Thereby, when the pair of arms is swung, the door opens and closes along the side of a vehicle body.
Meanwhile, in this type of sliding door structure, when a load is applied onto the door from the outside of the vehicle owing to a side collision or the like, it is necessary to suppress deforming of the door.
As one for suppressing this kind of door deformation, there is the following. (For example, refer to JP-U No.02-41811 (FIG. 1, FIG. 2).)
For example, in JP-U No.02-41811, there is disclosed a stopper structure having an engaging member and a locking member.
The engaging member is attached to the rear end surface of a door inner panel, and the locking member is attached to a portion, opposing the rear end surface of the door inner panel, at a door opening portion of a vehicle body.
Further, in the locking member, an engaging hole, that faces the moving direction (door opening and closing direction) of the engaging member and opens toward the engaging member, is formed, and in the engaging member, an engaging portion that engages with the engaging hole when the door is closed is formed.
And, when a load is applied onto the door from the outside of the vehicle, the engaging portion of the engaging member is engaged with the locking hole of the locking member, and the engaging member and the locking member are engaged with each other, thereby the deformation of the door is suppressed.
However, in the sliding door structure wherein the door is slid in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle by the pair of arms as shown in JP-U No.63-093214, in order to assure a wide door opening, it is necessary to make the pair of arms long. Further, in order to assure the rigidity of the door in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, it is necessary to make a pitch between the pair of arms large.
For this reason, when the door is closed, the pair of arms is arranged in a wide range along the vehicle fore-and-aft direction inside of the door.
Accordingly, in the sliding door structure wherein the pair of arms is arranged in a wide range along the vehicle fore-and-aft direction inside of the door when the door is closed, it is difficult to assure an exclusive space to arrange such a stopper structure as shown in JP-U No.02-41811, in the end portion of the door in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction.